Some embodiments relate generally to the field of electrical installations. In particular, some embodiments relate to an electrical socket device including at least one mechanism for locking and unlocking a corresponding electrical plug. More precisely, some embodiments relate to the electrical sockets and plugs of couplers, such as those defined by International Standard IEC 60320, for example of type C13 and type C19. These (coupler) sockets and plugs are applied or used in particular in a building that has a network, for example of LAN (Local Area Network) type, or in a data center, where several items of electrically powered equipment are installed.
Such items of electrical equipment store, form the link between servers storing information, or process information that may be important or even sensitive for the businesses using this type of equipment. It is thus of paramount importance for the electrical coupling between the electrical plug of these items of equipment and the electrical socket to be permanent, particularly when they are active.
Various electrical socket devices that comprise at least one locking and unlocking mechanism, the purpose of which is to retain a corresponding electrical plug, are in existence. One example of an electrical socket device of this type is known from document US 2010/0255708. The device described in this document includes a receptacle provided with at least one electrical socket designed to receive an electrical plug provided with conducting pins. The receptacle defines at least one inner cavity and is provided on one of the surfaces thereof with at least one through hole leading into the inner cavity and with a plurality of holes for receiving the pins of the electrical plug. The device also includes a mechanism for locking and unlocking the electrical plug placed in the cavity in position. This locking and unlocking mechanism includes a flexible part, a section of which is placed opposite a hole of the electrical socket and designed to abut against the conducting pin once the latter is engaged in the hole such as to immobilize it. Furthermore, the locking and unlocking mechanism includes a push member mounted so as to be movable in translation on the mount through the through hole. When the push member is actuated, it exerts a pressure on the flexible part such as to distance the flexible part and thus to unlock the electrical plug.
One of the problems connected with this electrical socket device is that locking is achieved by tightening the pin of the electrical plug via the flexible part. According to this configuration, the locking and unlocking mechanism has to be adapted to the conducting pin of the electrical plug in order for them to engage, the size of the slot of the locking and unlocking mechanism having to be adapted to that of the pin. Moreover, the flexible part comes into contact with an active pin, and therefore special insulation and heating resistance measures have to be taken.
Similarly, an electrical socket device of the same type is known from document US 2013/0109213. The receptacle of this device includes on one of the surfaces thereof at least one through hole leading into an inner cavity defined by the receptacle and a groove extending circumferentially relative to the electrical socket. The groove is designed to receive a peripheral flange of the electrical plug. This device further includes a mechanism for locking and unlocking the electrical plug placed in the cavity in position and comprising a flexible part provided with a section pivoting relative to a fixed section of this part. The pivoting section includes a slot placed opposite a hole of the electrical socket, the slot being designed to engage with a pin of the electrical plug when the latter is connected to the socket. The pivoting section is configured such that it is always oriented toward the face provided with the hole and such that it exerts a constraint on the pin once engaged in order that the latter can be held. A push member likewise makes it possible to distance the pivoting section of the pin via supplementary elements of the mechanism for unlocking the electrical plug.
However, locking is also achieved by the tightening of the pin of the electrical plug via the pivoting section of the flexible part and by means of friction. The locking and unlocking mechanism also has to be adapted to a certain type of electrical plug or, conversely, to allow the locking and unlocking of the plug. This also requires significant modifications to be made to existing electrical sockets and thus a cost in terms of manufacture. Furthermore, the flexible part is in contact with the ground pin, which is thus urged mechanically, which introduces a supplementary risk for a safety member.
Document US 2013/244468 likewise describes an electrical socket device of the same type, comprising a receptacle having on one of the surfaces thereof at least one through hole leading into an inner cavity defined by the receptacle and a groove extending circumferentially with regard to the electrical socket in order to receive a peripheral flange of the electrical plug. This device also includes a mechanism for locking and unlocking the electrical plug in position arranged in the cavity and comprising a spring interacting with a perforated rectangular plate that by means of friction immobilizes the peripheral flange then received in the groove. An unlocking member likewise makes it possible to distance the perforated plate from the peripheral flange in order to unlock the electrical plug.